NBC, Peacock Draw 9.2 Million for Spurs-Thunder Game 1 as Streaming Hits 2.3 Million
Updated
Updated · NBC Sports · May 21
NBC, Peacock Draw 9.2 Million for Spurs-Thunder Game 1 as Streaming Hits 2.3 Million
10 articles · Updated · NBC Sports · May 21
9.2 million viewers watched NBC and Peacock’s Western Conference finals opener, making Spurs-Thunder the most-watched Game 1 in conference finals history; the audience peaked at 12 million during the second overtime.
A 122-115 Spurs win in Oklahoma City helped drive the surge: Victor Wembanyama posted 41 points and 24 rebounds in only the sixth double-overtime conference finals game ever.
Peacock led a record streaming performance with a 2.3 million average-minute audience, the biggest ever for an NBA game on NBC/Peacock, while NBC averaged 6.9 million TV-only viewers and won Monday night across key demos.
The opener was up 71% from the comparable game last year and ranked as the second-most-watched game of the 2025-26 NBA season so far, behind only 76ers-Celtics Game 7 at 11 million.
The result extends NBC Sports’ strong return to NBA playoff coverage after 24 years, with its first 21 playoff games averaging 5.8 million viewers ahead of Game 2 on Wednesday night.
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